Are traps useful?

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I've never used them in combat, but I tried one out once and it seems awefully clunky method of attack. I just don't see them being useful for anything in this game. Anyone have any strategy that I'm missing? Or are they really useless?

 

I've never used them. Don't see the point really

 

The only use I found for traps is selling them for golds. And most are not exactly gonna fetch you a handsome price either.

 

I've found over time (and many CRPG's) that traps have not transitioned very well from P&P games to the computer. They have a purpose, a place, and a vital function in a P&P game but become a one dimensional tool when it comes to the computer. I think it's because you just can't transfer their versatility. A DM can get extremely creative and imaginative with a trap during a tabletop game but what can you really do with that on a computer game? Unfortunately, I've also found that as a side effect, rogues are not appreciated nearly as much either because one of their staple abilities has become the equivalent of the 'walking bandaid' cleric.

 

Well, since you were speaking in general terms rather than specifically for NWN2, I agree that they are less useful in most CRPGs.
I did find them useful in the first Neverwinter Nights game however. Just not worth buying them. I'd have my thief attempt to recover traps at every opportunity however.
A strategy would be to set a trap just outside a door when in a dungeon, then open the door and when the enemies behind it charge out, the trap is sprung. Good way to deal with the charging enemies, especially for a spell caster. Unfortunately, usually the traps weren't powerful enough. Still, it was an extra attack.

It is less useful in NWN2, but still a viable strategy. Just not worth the price you pay for the traps. Recovering and using them is another story, but buying them or using materials you could use for something else to craft them isn't worth it. If you can't use the materials for anything else, crafting them does make sense.





I found traps to only be somewhat useful in Baldur's Gate II. Set a trap, hide in the shadows, sneak up to an enemy, backstab, then run towards the trap and try to hide. However, that tactic didn't work so well if the party was nearby. Still, they rule for killing the Shadow Dragon and Kangax's first form since the wardstones make it ignore you and Kangax can't do anything until you reassemble him. You can also use them on others like Firkraag, but it seems a bit more of an exploit.

 

That is definitely a valid tactic but that's also what I kind of meant when I said they were one dimensional when it comes to CRPG's in general. You lay them outside the door and then trigger the enemy to come charging after you. It's not really a fault of the developers or anything as you're pretty limited with what you can hard code into a game. Which is part of what makes it feel like an exploit to me, it's the same strategy over and over again.

Of course, with that in mind, I found that they were not too bad in NWN1 but terrible in NWN2. I used the trap feature a lot more often in the first one than I did in the second. They seemed weaker and just generally less 'scary'. Both for and against my party.

 

I'm thinking that the only way they could be useful in NWN2, is that if a mod creator made a mod with the specific intention of having you use them on enemies. Like, maybe you have a lair or base of some sort. Of course, that would assume that the enemy had sufficient AI to come hunting for you. I don't think that there is anything resembling the level of AI that would require.

 

I don't see it as any more one-dimensional than your average fighter-type, including Monks & Barbarians.
There, you just hack & slash everything. Same approach every time, especially when your use of magic items is limited.
The thief with traps gives you more options on dealing with foes, although a bit more challenging since you can't go toe-to-toe with the stronger ones as you have neither the HP, AC, nor THAC0 to do so.

Oops, I'm an old-school AD&D player, I should have said BAB instead of THAC0. I've had IWD2 for years now, and NWN for almost 2 years, yet when I think Dungeons and Dragons I think THAC0.

 

Yes if properly placed.